Pollos Asados Los Norteños reopens to long lines in San Antonio

Pollos Asados Los Norteños has reopened for business after a 7-month hiatus during which time owner Frank Garcia had a new smoke vent installed. E-N Taste Team Member Chuck Blount talks to Garcia about the restaurants grand re-opening.

Media: San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio’s hardcore chicken fanatics may have to change their lunch plans because Pollos Asados Los Norteños is officially back in business after a lengthy closure.

The popular restaurant at 4642 Rigsby on the Southeast Side reopened its doors at 10 a.m. Thursday.

“Excited to be back.,” owner Frank Garcia told the Express-News on Wednesday. "Especially looking at all these customers waiting for us, it's something that feels really good."

The restaurant has been closed since Sept. 29, when the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality filed a lawsuit against it for violating the Texas Clean Air Act. Since then, Garcia has installed a new enclosed outdoor grill space that’s significantly larger than the former space and outfitted it with a new filtration and smoke-scrubbing system that was large enough to fill up a long-haul trailer bed.

“It’s been very exhausting and stressful, but we received the help we needed from the city,” Garcia told the Express-News Wednesday. “We obey by the law, and that’s what we’ve been going through every detail to do. … We want to keep the city, environment and the neighbors happy.”

A medio pollo plate with half a grilled chicken, onions, a jalapeño, rice, tortillas and an optional side of charro beans from Pollos Asados Los Norteños. The restaurant will reopen for lunch after a three week hiatus Thursday July 19. less

A medio pollo plate with half a grilled chicken, onions, a jalapeño, rice, tortillas and an optional side of charro beans from Pollos Asados Los Norteños. The restaurant will reopen for lunch after a three ... more

Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff Photographer

Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff Photographer

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A medio pollo plate with half a grilled chicken, onions, a jalapeño, rice, tortillas and an optional side of charro beans from Pollos Asados Los Norteños. The restaurant will reopen for lunch after a three week hiatus Thursday July 19. less

A medio pollo plate with half a grilled chicken, onions, a jalapeño, rice, tortillas and an optional side of charro beans from Pollos Asados Los Norteños. The restaurant will reopen for lunch after a three ... more

Photo: Mike Sutter /Staff Photographer

Pollos Asados Los Norteños reopens to long lines in San Antonio

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The billowing smoke from the grilled chicken always has been the restaurant’s signature: It could be seen, and smelled, from blocks away. But it created a rift with neighbors, who cited health concerns about the air quality, and became an issue with city and state officials. Garcia said that during a test run of the new system, they fired up the grill, starting it with the charcoal and oil, and no smoke escaped.

“I’m pretty sure once we fire up the whole pit, there will be something coming out, but it will be legal and under those environmental limits,” Garcia said. “It shouldn’t be different than any other restaurant that grills meats.”

Pollos Asados Los Norteños was so popular with area diners that the restaurant cooked between 750 to 800 whole chickens a day on mesquite charcoal, while a line of customers often snaked around the building. The most popular order is a half chicken served with tortillas, rice, grilled onions and jalapeño and green and red salsa. The menu also includes grilled burgers and fajitas.

“The employees are ready to get back to work,” Garcia said. “We’re ready to serve San Antonio again.”